CEZ Sells 49% Stake in Slovak Nuclear Developer JESS to Slovakia for EUR189m

· Energy · Slovakia · Czechia

Czech utility ČEZ has sold its 49% stake in JESS, the company formed to develop new nuclear capacity in Slovakia, for EUR189 million (USD211 million), according to World Nuclear News. The buyer is the Slovak state, which already held the remaining 51%, giving it full ownership of the project company. JESS was established to advance Slovakia's next generation of nuclear reactors, and the buyout consolidates national control over the country's nuclear expansion program. The transaction values the entirety of JESS at roughly EUR386 million based on the disclosed stake price. Slovakia, which already operates a significant nuclear fleet, has been weighing additional capacity amid wider European interest in nuclear as a carbon-free power source. The deal follows a broader trend of Central European states taking fuller ownership of strategic energy assets, and it clears the way for the Slovak government to set the project's direction and financing without a foreign co-owner at the table.

Why it matters：The buyout gives Slovakia full control of its nuclear expansion and reflects a wider Central European push for national ownership of strategic energy assets, shaping how new reactor projects are financed and decided in the region.

Key points

  • ČEZ's 49% stake in JESS sold for EUR189 million (USD211 million)
  • The Slovak state already held the remaining 51% of the project company
  • JESS was created to develop new nuclear capacity in Slovakia

Sources (original reporting)

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